At first glance, the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) tree seems appealing, with its white blossoms in spring and colorful leaves in fall. Digging a little deeper, however, reveals the grim reality of this common urban tree. Once introduced for its ornamental value, this invasive species has become a significant threat to Wisconsin’s ecosystems. Continue reading “Unearthing The Ugly Truth About The Callery Pear”
WAA Summer Conference And Tree Climbing Competition July 26-28
Join the Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) for its summer conference. It will be held at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Center in River Falls, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 26, 2024. The program will have a little something for everyone, Planting for the Future and feature two educational tracks, one indoors and one outdoors.
Topics include:
- Storm damage to trees
- Construction project management
- Tree stress and management
- Tree diversity options
- Mentoring the new generation
- Training new climbers
- Company training
- Aerial lift to climbing transitions
- Drone applications
Continue reading “WAA Summer Conference And Tree Climbing Competition July 26-28”
Upcoming And Recorded Webinars
WI DNR/UW Extension
Community Engagement For Urban Forestry Projects
Watch this recorded webinar, which includes a presentation by the University of Wisconsin division of Extension’s organizational and leadership development program staff. The community engagement portion starts at 5:20. Continue reading “Upcoming And Recorded Webinars”
Weather Whiplash Affects Pine Stands
A swath of pine dead due to high water table mortality in 2020 in northeast Wisconsin.
By Alex Hornung, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Plover;
Alexandra.Hornung@wisconsin.gov
Many pine stands across central and northeast Wisconsin are being impacted by the change from high levels of precipitation to extreme drought that has occurred over the last 5-7 years.
Drastic or sudden changes can be particularly stressful to trees of all species, but especially to pine stands that prefer well-drained soil types.
Watch For Spongy Moth Caterpillar Diseases
By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
With this spring’s weather bringing above-average rainfall across most of Wisconsin, we will likely see moderate to heavy mortality of spongy moth caterpillars at many locations this summer.
Last year, the statewide May-June period was the third-driest since recordkeeping began in the late 1800s, according to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. As a result, the effectiveness of the caterpillar-killing fungus, Entomophaga maimaiga, was limited. Spring 2024 is noticeably wetter, and thus, increased effectiveness of E. maimaiga is likely.
Continue reading “Watch For Spongy Moth Caterpillar Diseases”
Volunteer Billings Digs Deep In Battle Against Invasives
By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health Communications, Fitchburg;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167
Andrea Billings insists that she doesn’t do all that much volunteering.
But if most people in Wisconsin regularly put in the time Billings does, a considerable dent would be made in the state’s dealings with invasive plant species.
Continue reading “Volunteer Billings Digs Deep In Battle Against Invasives”
Teasing Out Invasive Teasels
Common teasel in bloom. The flowerheads of teasel species are distinct, unusually large, stiff and sturdy. / Photo Credit: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
By Erika Segerson-Mueller, DNR Invasive Plant Program Specialist, Oshkosh Service Center
Erika.SegersonMueller@wisconsin.gov or 715-492-0391
Two species of teasel are present in Wisconsin: common teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) and cut-leaved teasel (Dipsacus lacinatus). Although they are known today as invasive plants, their Latin names speak to a useful history.
The species name of common teasel (fullonum) comes from “to full,” a step in woolen clothmaking that involves using water and agitation. Teasels, native to Europe, were introduced to North America in the 1700s to be used in this manner by textile processors. The stiff and sturdy flower heads of teasel were used to comb the surface of damp cloth to give it a fluffier finish. Continue reading “Teasing Out Invasive Teasels”
Retracted: Study Shows Drought Harms Wetter Forests Most
Note:
The original version of this Forest Health News article has been removed because the journal article in Science magazine that was referenced has been retracted by its authors due to a mathematical error. The journal authors reran their analysis and although many results remained unchanged, the statistical significance of some conclusions, and the results of some robustness tests, did change. It is unclear to what degree these errors affected observations in the Forest Health News article, so that article was removed. More information is available here.
What’s That Orange Goo?
A slime mold perched on a vine.
By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Fitchburg;
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov
What’s the orange goo on that tree?
Should I fight, or should I flee?
I bet forest health staff can ID!
Indeed, there are a number of types of orange goo in the woods during spring.
If it’s a lumpy mass of goo on a log, stump or mulch, then it’s probably a slime mold. Slime molds are an amoeba-like group of organisms called myxomycetes. They move very slowly to eat bacteria and organic matter. Slime molds are harmless, so unless it is covering something of value, just leave it be, and it will disappear on its own. Continue reading “What’s That Orange Goo?”
Invasives And Imposters: Native Lookalikes To Know (Part 1)
By Erika Segerson-Mueller, DNR Invasive Plant Program Specialist, Oshkosh Service Center;
Erika.SegersonMueller@wisconsin.gov or 715-492-0391
With 145 invasive plants regulated under Wisconsin’s Invasive Species Rule NR40, it can be challenging to identify some of these plants while out in the woods.
The task can be further complicated by the presence of native lookalikes, plants that appear very similar to harmful invasive species but benefit wildlife, pollinators and ecosystems in Wisconsin.
Continue reading “Invasives And Imposters: Native Lookalikes To Know (Part 1)”